Opportunities for business
Previous resident companies have taken advantage of the opportunity to accept short and longer term placement students from Oxford Brookes. The University works to make this a simple process for companies and placement students.
An introductory guide for industry partners for the 40-week/year placements is available on request, and shorter placements, such as over the summer, can be arranged. We also have a shorter work experience module (min 60 hours). Companies have also offered students internships independent of our degree programmes.
Placement students benefit businesses
The benefits of a work placement or sandwich year are not limited to the student. Placement students are highly motivated and keen to learn, and they offer a cost-effective individual who can contribute to the workplace for a defined period of time. You also have the satisfaction of knowing that you are training a student in generic and specific skills that may be needed for your future workforce, and evidence suggests that up to 40% of placement students are invited to return to their host labs following graduation, for full-time employment.
As examples, our students have successfully complete placements within the following companies:
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Baxter healthcare
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GSK
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Ipsen Bioinnovation
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Oxford Biomedica
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Oxford Expression Technologies
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Oxford Immunotec
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Oxford Nanopore
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Oxford University NHS Trust (pathology)
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Oxitec
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Public Health England
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Pirbright Institute
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Porton Biopharma
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UK BioCentre
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University of Birmingham
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University Hospitals Sussex NHS Trust (pathology)
If you would like to offer a placement to a student, please contact our placement lead (Caroline Griffiths) who will be glad to discuss the nature of the placement you may be able to offer and what our expectations would be of the placement and your role as employer.
Offering Work Experience
The ‘Work Experience’ module is a work-based learning experience, in which students need to spend a minimum of 60 hours in a working environment that is relevant to their future career path.
Our students have worked in research labs, small local businesses, wildlife parks, hospitals, industry, charities, science communication and schools, and have gone on summer field work to Peru and South Africa.
We are very happy to circulate opportunities to our students but the students arrange the placement themself, with input and advice from staff and our Careers Centre. Before they start they need to complete a few forms (a proposal including dates and company, a tick box risk assessment form and a health and safety form).
After completing their work experience, they submit a portfolio and a final report, in which they professionally reflect on their learning. They also produce a short video (max 5 min) about their experience. We require a short reference from the company at this stage confirming hours and satisfactory performance.
If you would like to offer work experience placements to our students, please contact our Work Experience module lead (Deborah Pearce).
Knowledge-Transfer Partnerships
Oxford Brookes University has a great track record in forming Knowledge-Transfer Partnerships.
The KTPs are unique three-way collaborations, bringing together university experts, a qualified graduate and industry partners to drive strategic innovation and growth.
University Specialist Centres
The University has a wide range of Centres and Institutes representing a wealth of knowledge, experience and expertise in the biosciences and beyond.
Bioimaging
The Oxford Brookes Centre for Bioimaging has a wide range of light and electron microscopes, as well as fully-equipped electron microscopy sample preparation labs. They also have dedicated workstations for 3D image analysis. Their expertise lies in high-resolution live cell imaging and 3D electron microscopy. Access and training is available for external users.
https://www.brookes.ac.uk/research/units/hls/centres/centre-for-bioimaging/
Genomics
The Centre for Functional Genomics provide sequencing data analysis and project design services for external and internal collaborators. They also offer short courses and training opportunities in cutting-edge methods for sequencing data analysis.
https://www.brookes.ac.uk/research/units/hls/centres/centre-for-functional-genomics/
Nutrition
The Oxford Brookes Centre for Nutrition and Health carry out work on behalf of a diverse range of clients from the health and food industry. Partnering with manufacturers, retailers and suppliers ranging from SMEs to multinational global organisations they offer a diverse portfolio of metabolic response, food component and activity and weight management studies. They are internationally renowned centre for research into glycaemic response and are the only centre accredited by the GI Foundation in Europe.
https://www.brookes.ac.uk/research/units/hls/centres/oxbcnh/
Health Innovation and Technology
The Centre for Movement, Occupational and Rehabilitation Sciences (MOReS) team has a wealth of experience in the areas of health and rehabilitation. They provide a wide range of services from clinical trials and public health interventions.
Working towards a sustainable zero carbon society
The Environmental Information Exchange (EiE) based at Oxford Brookes University provides UK organisations with support to reduce the environmental impacts from energy, water, and waste to mitigate the causes of climate change by helping their clients implement best practice solutions.
https://www.brookes.ac.uk/eie/
Understanding people’s attitudes, behaviours and information processing
The Centre for Psychological Research (CfPR) have a range of experts in assessing and understanding attitudes, behaviours and the way that people process information. They offer consultancy packages tailored specifically to an organisation’s needs, and have worked with a variety of industries, charities and public sectors.
https://www.brookes.ac.uk/research/units/hls/centres/centre-for-psychological-research/
Student Opportunities
Studying at Oxford Brookes at undergraduate or postgraduate level offers different avenues for experiencing enterprise and entrepreneurship, and for interacting with industry. Our biology and biomedicine subject areas
Industry interaction within courses:
Podmod (biotechnology pod) and Work experience modules – available to students on biology and environment programmes
Placement module (sandwich year) – open to those on the Biomedical Science degree, and all other bioscience degrees.
Industry opportunities for Brookes students beyond courses
There are a range of internship opportunities available for Brookes students, you can find more information about them through on the careers website.
Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs) are collaborations, bringing university experts, a qualified graduate and industry partners together to drive strategic innovation and growth.
Vacancies in OBEC resident companies
The Bioinnovation Hub and ScaleBase are home to a range of high growth companies so check here [NEEDS A LINK] regularly for job vacancies.
